Advances in Immunology & Microbiology Seminar Series: Bonnie Gunn

About the event

The Advances in Immunology & Microbiology seminar series is a weekly forum that brings together scientists from diverse fields and disciplines across the College of Veterinary Medicine to discuss research advances in the broad areas of immunology, microbiology, infectious diseases, and global health. Seminars feature student speakers from the Immunology & Infectious Disease (IID) doctoral program, IID-affiliated postdoctoral researchers and faculty, intramural speakers from across the university, and extramural speakers.

PRESENTER: Dr. Bronwyn (Bonnie) Gunn, Assistant Professor, Paul G. Allen School of Global Health

TITLE: Harnessing antibodies for protection against zoonotic infectious diseases

ABSTRACT: The research in the Gunn laboratory in the Paul G. Allen School of Global Health focuses on the analysis of antibody responses against infectious diseases, and specifically seeks to understand the role of antibody-mediated activation of the innate immune system which is mediated through interaction with the antibody Fc domain and Fc-receptors on innate immune cells. We use a systems serology approach to define correlates of antibody-mediated protection against Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2. Here, I will discuss ongoing projects in the lab including understanding how antibodies contribute to protection against Ebola virus disease sequelae, asymptomatic COVID-19 in Kenya, and how we are using recombinant monoclonal antibody engineering approaches to dissect mechanisms of antibody-mediated activation of innate immune cells through the generation of an Fc-effector Atlas.